The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-16
EUR0PES RIVAL GIANTS.
A RUSSIAN STATEMENT OF THE
FRONTIER SITUATION.

ST. PETERSBURG, Dec 15.-The official
Military Gazette says:
Owing to the alarm raised by the Aus
trian press, in consequence of the transfer
of some Russian cavalry to the Warsaw dis
trict, it is advisable to consider the military
position of Russia and her western frontier
neighbors in orderso throw light upon the
question of who is really preparing to at
tack, and who for defense. During the past
five years the peace effective of the German
army has been increased sixty-five battal-
ions and 364 guns. The German troops on
the Russian frontier have been increased
twenty-one battalions of infantry, twenty
seven batteries of artillery and fifteen
suuadrons of cavalry.
NEW RAILROADS
Since 1878 Germany has built in
the Eastern Provinces 1850 kilo-
metres of railroads. There are eleven
German railroads, by means of
which troops can be forwarded to the Rus
sian frontier, and ten junction stations
where they can be rapidly thrown out of
trains and concentrated. Germany has
formed first-class fortresses at Thorn, Posen,
Dantzc and Koenigsburg, and is building
similar fortresses at Grandenz Austria
has added nine to the twenty-three infantry
divisions which formerly constituted her eff
fective force, and would add, in the event
of the mobilization of the army, fourteen
landwehr or honked divisions The Cali
clan earrisons have been REINFORCED during
1887 y eighteen squadrons of cavalry and
thrtetn batteries of artillery, all provided
with full complement OF horses.
AUsTRIAs RAILROADS.
In the Austrian districts, which might
tha tbaafra nf
4,500 kilometres of railroads, with four
branches, have been constructed since 1878
Six Austrian railways are available for
throwing into Galicia large bodies of troops,
who, by means of new junction stations can
be placed in position on the Russian from
tier. Military huts depots and stores are
being collected at Lemburg, Przemysl, JAR
oslaw, Dernbitza, Riascheff and other
points The fortresses at Przemysl
and Cracow have been converted into
camp fortresses. Russian territory can be
bombarded from the Cracow forts A large
quantity of rolling stock has been accumu-
lated at Cracow, adapted for use on Russian
railways. All these preparations are mean
ingless except in view of the offensive
tactics, and show that Austria, under the
semblance of defense, is, at the same time,
preparing to invade Russia simultaneously
with her ally.
WHAT RUSSIA is Dor;G.
But what is Russia doing in view of her
neighbors threatening preparationl Not
withstanding the manifest danger Russia
considers that a European war would be
terrible misfortune to all mankind She
was the first, who, amid her neighbors'
feverish ornaments, did not increase, but
decreased her defensive forces. In 1881 and
1882, Russia reduced her peace
effective nearly 100000. True,
she raised it again in consequence of the
Afghan affair and the necessity of improv-
ing her readiness to mobilize when her
neighbors in the same period have raised
their peace effective 10000 Doubtless
Russia, in the event of war, will assemble
mighty army, the concentration of which,
on the frontier, will be incomparably more
difficult for her than will be the concentra-
ton by her neighbors of their forces at the
same place.
THE WORK OF TEN YEARS.
During the last ten years ., ,S2S kilometers
of railway have been constructed in the
western provinces Of Russia. In the Ger
man and Austrian eastern provinces during
the same period 300 kilometers have been
built. Moreover the area in which Russia
has constructed railways, is twice as large
as that in which her neighbors have built
such lines Russian railways nowhere pass
outside the defense lines of a
triangle formed by ST. Petersburg,
Warsaw and Odessa. Our neighbors' lines
however, run straight out to the Russian
frontier It is easy to understand that they
are not constructed for advanced posts, but
for the concentration of troops. A glance
tt the map will suffice to show that close
network of railways covers the district
along the Russian frontier, compared with
an insignifiC ant number of railways that
Russia can rely upon. Not only from Ger
many but from the Austrian frontier the
vasion.
THE MOST EFFECTIVE COURSE.
The most effective measures against this
danger would be to extend Russian railways
until they attain the proportions of those of
our neighbors. But for this enormous ex-
pense time is required, and therefore there
is only one course-to improve cur defenses
and fortresses and increase the number of
troops on the frontier, and thereby guard
against surprise. Our neighbors' in
creased military preparations in 1856
compelled Russia to devise counter measures,
which will be gradually executed. The
transfer of a few cavalry regiments on the
Vistula might certainly be made a pre-
text to excite the press and public opinion
to charge Russia with warlike intentions
The German and Austrian military author
tiles understand the defensive character of
this measure.
GAN DO A LITTLE CALCObAIlN0,
They can calmly calculate how many
corps Russia will have to send to the from
tier while peace is undisturbed, so that after
concentrating at any given point the forces
and means at her disposal might suffice to
place Russia on a footing of equality with
her opponents. They can also calculate
the strength of the forces with which,
in the event of war, Russia could
be rapidly invaded They can still hope by
sudden action to win comparatively cheap
iaurels, but high Russian military officers
who do not fear the ultimate issue of a con-
til.t, even if tho whole forces of the peace
league moved out against Russia, neverthe-
less openly recognize that defense of Russian
territory is not yet assured, and if the
peace league considers itself justified
IN developing its defensive measures
as far as to bring certain Russian districts
under range of the guns Of its most adj
vanced forts, Russia has an undoubted
right to provide for her defense, and to take
every measure to ':pr Did her honor and
maintain the in,i'l-n.lity Of her territory.
Moscows UNIVERSITY TROUBLES.
Referring to the trouble at Moscow Uni
Versity, the Messenger says: The lectures
at the university were suspended in conse-
qdence of the students having as
saulted an inspector at concert,
other students sided with the assailant, and
made arrangements for an unauthorized